Scroll 29: Charging and Casting

The situation was desperate for Alaster.

Let’s see... there are six guards where I came from, at the entrance of this alley—the five who ambushed me plus Ellot, who was tailing me. Ahead of me is that bastard Grolen and two others, plus the psychotic babe, Joseph thought.

He quickly reviewed the three spells he had been studying over the past few days.

Out of those three, the most useful one right now would definitely be [Wave Spikes].

With that area-of-effect ice spell, costing 350 mana points, I can get rid of the most dangerous group. Those six at the entrance... especially the two archers, who are the biggest threat right now.

Two more seconds and I’ll have enough for the spell. I can always cast more without the ring, though I don’t want to abuse my body.

—After I’m done with you, I’m going after that pretty girl from the inn. Ohhh, I’m going to do so many things to her, she’ll completely forget about you—Grolen said with a smirk.

«You bastard...», Alaster thought.

Upon hitting [400 MP], Alaster finally spoke to buy the last remaining seconds:

—How do you plan on doing all that... if you’re going to die here today?—The elf smiled.

—Kill me? Are you retarded?—Grolen burst out laughing, while Dalma smirked, staring intently at the elf’s crotch.

Alaster swallowed hard, feeling his balls tighten.

But then Grolen noticed something strange: his breath was generating steam. The air had turned freezing cold all of a sudden.

Ellot’s eyes widened like saucers; he looked to his side and ordered the archers:

—Kill him! Kill him now!

Right at that exact moment, the ring reached [450 MP]. Alaster spun his entire body around rapidly.

The archer guards looked at Grolen for approval, and that split second of hesitation was all Alaster needed to channel [350 MP] from the ring into his chosen spell.

The elf thrust his hands forward, thinking: «Let this area-of-effect attack begin!».

Ellot charged toward Alaster, but it was too late. He froze in his tracks as his feet became trapped in the ice spreading across the ground, a thin, almost invisible film.

Half a second later, a wave of gelid spikes surged from in front of Alaster toward the six unsuspecting men.

A conical area ahead of Alaster was instantly covered in jagged ice monoliths protruding haphazardly from the ground, each as tall as a man.

Joseph heard the screams and groans of those caught in the trap, but he had no time to waste.

«Now for the other four», he thought, spinning back around quickly.

Two guards were already charging at him from the front.

CRACK, CRACK!

Two Ice Spears began to manifest at Alaster’s sides, surging like water out of nowhere, solidifying and shaping into threatening points.

The charging guards slowed down upon seeing them, but at that moment Alaster raised a hand, and both spears shot toward them.

One dodged by a hair, throwing himself to the ground, but the other brought up his shield.

The shield withstood the spear, but the powerful impact made the guard stumble, and he fell flat on his back.

There was [70 MP] left in the ring.

«Dammit», Alaster thought. «I only have enough for four more spears, and then I’ll have to resort to using mana without the ring. There’s no way I can channel mana into it while these guys are rushing me.»

Grolen and Dalma had hidden near the alley’s exit, each behind large wooden crates that were undoubtedly old, abandoned cargo. Dalma looked at Grolen, who was to the left of the exit.

—What happened? How did that elf cast that spell? He didn't even say a word! What did you get us into?!—the woman snapped in a rage.

—I don't know! Damn it, I don't know!—Grolen shouted, losing his composure.

Dalma, who was on her knees behind her crate, peeked her head out slightly, just in time to see one of her comrades drop after an Ice Spear hit him dead in the chest, sending him sliding across the floor for several meters, completely unconscious.

«What the hell...?», Dalma muttered.

Right at that moment, she saw another spear heading in her direction. She pulled her face back out of pure instinct, watching the projectile drive itself right into the spot where her head had been seconds before.

The woman’s heart leaped into her throat, and she began frantically searching her waist.

—No!—Grolen yelled at her—. This elf is mine!

—Yours?—Dalma yelled back—. He’s going to kill us!

The woman pulled a device resembling a festival rocket from her belt and channeled some mana into it to activate it.

Meanwhile, there was [40 MP] left in the ring.

CRACK!

Alaster condensed another spear to his right. The guard who was getting up from the ground dropped his sword in shock.

—Wait! Wait! No...!

Alaster flicked his wrist, launching the projectile at the guy who was about to stand, hitting him square in the chest.

The impact sent him skidding across the stone floor until he crashed noisily into a pile of wooden planks on the side of the alley.

The ring dropped to [25 MP].

«Just one more Ice Spear and I’ll be left with 10 MP, which is only enough for a pathetic Fire Arrow», the elf calculated. «I doubt Grolen and the sadistic beauty are going to sit around waiting for my ring to recharge. I’d better get out of here.»

He looked back: a wall of frozen spikes completely blocked the alley’s entrance, and by the exit stood Grolen and Dalma. Only those two were left.

Alaster tried to ignore the groans and cries for help from the guards trapped between the sharp pillars behind him.

Suddenly, Alaster spun around upon hearing a whistling sound. He saw something shoot out from behind a crate that he never expected to see in this world: a flare.

Or rather, something resembling a rocket that hissed loudly until it reached about 30 meters high, where it burst, releasing a dense cloud of red smoke.

Alaster’s heart sank. «That's... I need to get out of here. No more games.»

From behind the crates, Grolen came charging with his sword raised. Dalma watched him abandon the shelter of the massive boxes and advance into the alley with his shield and weapon up.

—You won’t get away with this! You’re going to pay for this!—Grolen screamed.

—How brave—the beautiful guard said with a mocking smile from behind—. Or rather, stupid.

Dalma stood up immediately and bolted, but toward the side, steering completely clear of the alley while thinking: «I am not staying around to let that elf skin me alive, or to have to explain to the eastern guard what we are doing outside our sector.»

Alaster saw Grolen running toward him with his shield out and couldn’t help but laugh. He had one spear available in the ring.

CRACK!

A spear formed to his left, and he launched it with a smile on his lips. The ice projectile flew straight at Grolen's shield.

The impact was violent, completely destabilizing his stance.

«[10 MP]... the ring is empty,» Alaster thought, his eyes narrowing. «But it doesn't matter.»

While Grolen was desperately trying to regain his balance, the elf burst into a short, explosive sprint.

Closing the distance in a flash, Alaster delivered a brutal kick square into the guard.

The sheer force of the blow sent Grolen flying backward, hurtling through the air until he crashed violently near the alley's exit.

Alaster walked calmly toward him. With a fluid motion, he picked up a discarded sword from the ground, effortlessly spinning it between his fingers.

—So... you plan on going after that pretty girl from the inn?

Grolen lay writhing on the cold stone floor, his shield arm completely numb. He could hear the elf's voice—a tone colder than the ice scattered across the ground.

Terrified, Grolen frantically scanned the floor for the sword that had slipped from his grasp. Spotting it a short distance away, he rolled over and scrambled toward it on his hands and knees.

Just as his fingers wrapped around the hilt, Alaster’s boot came down, stomping on his hand with crushing force.

—End of the line...

Grolen looked up. The elf's violet eyes glowed like twin beacons—predatory eyes entirely devoid of mercy.

Alaster spun the sword one last time, reversing his grip to hold it firmly with both hands, and raised it high above his head.

—No... don't do it! I have money! I'll give you gold, all the gold you want! So many coins, just...—the guard stammered, now openly begging for his life.

Alaster remembered how this animal had tried to violate Jinneth in front of everyone, even in front of her father.

He remembered the threats the man had uttered just a minute ago... how he never seemed to face justice, and how it looked like he could simply return whenever he pleased to hurt the sweet girl who showed him so much affection.

—No deal.

Alaster brought the weapon down with blinding speed and... stopped.

Not out of mercy, and certainly not because of morality—this world was a jungle.

But right at that moment, dozens of heavy footsteps were echoing nearby. Guards were already coming into view.

Killing him without witnesses would have been the perfect crime in this world without fingerprints or security cameras. But now, with eyewitnesses closing in, even from a distance, it was too risky.

Unwilling to let him off completely, the elf used his superhuman strength to redirect the blow.

He drove the blade straight into Grolen’s leg, pinning him to the stone floor. The sword pierced all the way through the bone to the hilt, effectively stapling him to the ground.

Grolen screamed like a pig in a slaughterhouse.

—The next time you get near Jinneth or any of my people, it will be the last day of your life—Alaster growled.

Clutching his mangled leg, Grolen watched through tears of agony as the elf turned and ran into the distance.

«Damn you... you'll pay for this! I swear it!» he thought, his vision blurring from the pain.

Alaster ran through the deserted streets and alleys of the old warehouse district.

After turning several corners, he emerged into a blinding light into a thoroughly bustling area of the city.

There was a massive crowd of people carrying their purchases, strolling around, and a huge number of shops selling clothes, shoes, swords, leather goods, potions, scrolls, inks, and fabrics. Everything you could ever want was on that grand street.

Alaster quickly blended into the tumult, but when he spotted some guards in the distance, he tensed.

He was about to turn around to flee, but then he thought: «It hasn’t even been a minute, and these guards are coming from the opposite direction of where I fought those corrupt guards. I don’t think they should know anything.»

Joseph stopped and took two deep breaths to calm himself down. He smoothed his hair with his hands and set off walking with absolute composure.

The guards marched right past him, bumping into pedestrians without the slightest care.

—Move it, old man!—a guard barked as he shoved an elderly man onto the sidewalk. The thug kept jogging along with his companions toward the west.

The elf approached the elderly man and knelt beside him, helping him to his feet. The gray-haired man let out a sigh of relief.

—Thank you—the old man uttered, dusting off his clothes—. Those damn soldiers are trash, I hope they...

The old man stopped dead in his tracks upon seeing Alaster’s face. The elf smiled kindly at him.

—Y... Your Excellency, I didn’t mean to use such foul language in front of...

Alaster interrupted him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

—They are absolute bastards... You’re entirely right. Well, since you’re alright, I have to go, I don’t want to...

Alaster cut himself off as he spotted another group of guards advancing in a panic further down the street. He could hear one of them shouting to the crowd:

—Where did you see that blue-haired elf? That’s the one who attacked the guards!

The old man, watching the scene play out, caught on to the situation immediately.

—Your Excellency! You have to run!

But when the old man turned to look at him again, there was no one there. The old man smiled to himself as he finished straightening his clothes.

—I hope the elves band together and give those guards a proper beating—he said with a sly grin.

Meanwhile, Alaster was moving swiftly through the crowd, thinking urgently: «What the hell should I do now? This hair isn't exactly easy to miss. A hat? Crap!».

Running cautiously, he noticed more guards up ahead. They seemed to be questioning some people on the sidewalk about him.

Alaster backed away quickly, hiding behind a large carriage parked next to the road.

The guards were drawing closer and closer to his position. Alaster braced himself, but then he felt a hand firmly cover his mouth as he was forcefully yanked to the side.

His feet dragged across the stone floor, but he chose not to resist upon recognizing those hands: they were white, delicate, and soft.

«Jinneth?», he immediately thought.

Ahead of him, a heavy wooden door slammed shut with a dull thud. The outside noise vanished. He was no longer on the street.